Mafikeng

Mafikeng, officially Mahikeng since 2010, is a city in South Africa’s North West province and its provincial capital.

Connect

Siege of Mafeking: A 217-day siege of the British garrison at Mafeking during the Second Boer War, from 1899 to 1900. The siege made the town internationally famous and established the older spelling of its name.
North West (South African province): A province in north-central South Africa, created in 1994 and bordering Botswana. Mahikeng is the provincial capital and a center of government administration.
North West Provincial Legislature: The elected lawmaking body of South Africa’s North West province. Its location in Mahikeng anchors the city’s role as the provincial seat of government.
Mafeking Cadet Corps: A corps of boys who carried messages and performed support duties during the 1899–1900 siege of Mafeking. Its young members became one of the best-known human stories associated with the siege.
Second Boer War: A war fought from 1899 to 1902 between the British Empire and the Boer republics in southern Africa. The siege occurred during this conflict, which shaped British rule over the region.
Setswana: A Bantu language spoken chiefly in Botswana and South Africa, where it is one of the official languages. The city’s official name, Mahikeng, derives from Setswana.
North West Department of Health: The provincial government department responsible for public health services in North West, South Africa. Its headquarters and services form part of Mahikeng’s provincial administrative function.
Robert Baden-Powell: A British Army officer who commanded the garrison during the Siege of Mafeking and later founded the Scout movement. His command during the siege tied the town to the early history of Scouting.
British Bechuanaland: A British colony established in southern Africa in 1885, later incorporated into the Cape Colony. The town served as the capital of British Bechuanaland before its incorporation into the Cape Colony.
Barolong: A Tswana-speaking people whose communities have historically lived across parts of South Africa and Botswana. Barolong history and land claims are closely connected to the area around Mahikeng.